Southern NH Guide to Apple Picking

Step 1: Find your perfect apple.

Step 2: Gently pick your apples fresh from the tree, so as not to cause neighboring apples to drop, and left bruised and abandoned on the ground. Simply cup your hand around the apple, lift the bottom of it to the sky and it’ll come right off.

Step 3: Take a crunchy, fragrant bite and savor the flavor of fall in New Hampshire.
...Ok, so maybe that’s not exactly what kind of guidance you were looking for. But seriously, there’s really nothing like a sunny autumn afternoon among the apple trees, against the backdrop of some of the most stunning foliage and mountain views the Northeast has to offer. So pack a picnic—or not!—and gather with friends and family beneath the trees of one of these fun and family-friendly pick-your-own orchards in southern New Hampshire.

Roots run deep here—the Wagner family has been in the fruit game for four generations, and it just keeps getting better. Their pick-your-own apple experience satisfies all tastes with dozens of distinct varieties, including favorites like McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Ida Red. Plus, they really know how to have fun. Just check out the fall festival activities they have planned including storybook hayrides, make-your-own scarecrows, face painting and live music.

When you’ve worked up an appetite having fun and harvesting your fresh produce, enjoy locally-sourced food at their restaurant, Farm Bistro. Room for dessert? Grab one of their amazing apple cider donuts or head over to the creamery to savor one-of-a-kind ice cream flavors made from “happy, pasture fed cows.”

Carter Hill has been an active orchard since the mid 1700s and owned by the Larocque family for 15 years. Their land produces over a dozen varieties of lovingly-grown apples including Gala, Braeburn and Granny Smith.

While a simpler stop than many of the bigger orchards in the state, they’ve created a truly charming experience for visitors, serving fresh apple cider pressed right on the premises, hot chocolate and coffee and baked goods including apple pies, zucchini bread and Annette's world-famous whoopie pies. They also stock cozy fall favorites such as spices, jams, jellies and mustards.

This scenic, 8th-generation orchard is stocked with a wide variety of apples including Macoun, Red Delicious and McIntosh depending on when you go. They even have their own U-pick hotline so you can check picking conditions and confirm what varieties you’ll be delighted with when you go. Bonus: you can pick-your-own pumpkins too!

They encourage visitors to bring a picnic and enjoy the view, or head out for a scenic stroll on their grounds or nearby trails. They also welcome leashed dogs to “wag along” (just not in U-pick areas!).

When you’re all picked out, they serve locally-made Richardson’s Ice Cream or grab extra autumn goods, fresh cider and gifts over at the farm stand.

Some families make a nice day trip out of apple picking, but at Alyson’s Orchard, it’s quite possible to fully immerse yourself in this serene setting for an entire weekend, complete with colorful views of the Connecticut River Valley! That’s right, after you choose from 50 varieties of apples including Honeycrisp, Liberty and Fortune, you can rest your head at one of their quaint farmhouse or rustic barn accommodations.

Alyson’s store and bakery also offers tasty treats like jam, honey, maple syrup, pies and fruit wines, with weekend wagon rides and special fall events happening throughout the season.

What do kids want from a fall outing? Fun things to do and great things to eat, of course. And Appleview Orchard brings both in a big way. For starters, their pick-your-own orchard has gorgeous views, and features delightful apple varieties like Fuji, Ginger Gold and Crimson Crisp.

They also offer good old hayrides, a bounce house, gourmet ice cream and a petting zoo with goats, pigs, bunnies, ducks, and turkeys.

Like apples? Chances are you’re gonna love a lot of these apples. This family-owned orchard offers 80 varieties including several heritage varieties, Macoun, Cortland, and Hampshire, a special all-purpose apple variety “born” right there at Gould Hill.

This special place features amazing mountain views and horse-drawn hayrides, and sells freshly baked apple pies, pumpkin whoopie pies and cider donuts. They’ve also got local ice cream from Granite State Candy and other goods and gifts--all housed under one quaint post-and-beam barn roof built circa 1810!